Anyway, one of my mom’s all-time favorite fiction books is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. That book is loosely based on the lives of Hosea and his adulterous wife Gomer. It’s amazing to me how Hosea just keeps taking her back to him, despite her unfaithfulness to him. What a very clear picture of God’s love for His people. This is certainly a story that very many people in today’s society can relate to. In a society of throw-away relationships and marriages, we need to remember that our God doesn’t throw things away – He’s willing to patch things up, forgive, and move on.
Day 65 – Today’s reading – the minor prophets Joel, and Amos.
Day 66 – Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum. I’m wondering why the book of Jonah is so much more familiar than Nahum – they bother prophesied to/against Ninevah. Must just be because Jonah resisted and got swallowed by the big fish. God definitely has a sense of humor – that whole account just reminds me of a fairy tale – hence the fact that the author of Pinocchio portrays Gepetto being swallowed by the whale.
I like this verse from Micah:
6:7 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Day 67 - Today’s reading covered Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and the beginning of Zechariah. Some of my favorite verses from today are some that I committed to memory as a teen (set to song) – Habakkuk 3:17-19:
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the salls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.
Day 68 – Today I finished Zechariah, read through Malachi, and started the New Testament! It felt so refreshing to start into the book of Matthew. I found that I even enjoyed reading the genealogy of Jesus this time through – yes, normally I skim it – but I read it thoroughly and it meant so much more than normal having recently just read about so many of these people in Christ’s family tree.
Yesterday the girls and I finished up a biography on Abraham Lincoln. (9/2/10) We were surprised to read that he had so much of the Bible memorized. The book we read said that “He could quote by heart all the Psalms, entire chapters of Isaiah, and almost all of the New Testament.” Because I had that fresh in my mind, I was very in tune with the familiar verses – I think sometimes we have Scriptures in our minds and hearts and don’t even realize that they are there. So many verses are so familiar to me and I have to hope that they are “treasured stored up” in the event that our Bibles and/or our freedoms are taken away from us. We cannot imagine not being allowed to read our Bibles, but it’s a very real possibility.
Today we started the Sermon on the Mount. Many familiar verses in this passage - - -
The Beatitudes
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Love for Enemies
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Day 69 – Matthew seems to be moving so fast. I’m feeling like his is a condensed version or something, and as I read through the rest of the Gospels, I’ll get a clearer picture of some of these accounts. Anyway, here are some favorite passages from today’s reading - - -
Prayer
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.[a]' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Treasures in Heaven
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Ask, Seek, Knock
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Rest for the Weary
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Day 70 – Wow. I’m just thinking how amazing it would have been to have lived when Jesus lived and to have possibly crossed paths with him. To have had the opportunity to listen to him teach, or to witness the miracles he performed, would have been nothing short of awesome.
Thanks to Bible Gateway for the Scripture passages. To read more Bible in 90 Days experiences, visit Mom’s Toolbox.
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